Random Acts of Kindness

This week’s devotional will be my last devotional until June 3, 2020.  I will be taking a break for 6-weeks (or possibly longer). 

At this time, much is available on Facebook, Twitter, and the internet from our local churches to encourage people that I thought I would step back for these few weeks.  

Thanks for following my devotionals...and remember, I'll be back.  

I trust you will be blessed and encouraged by all that your local church is offering you online.  

See you in June. (or maybe later) 

It often takes a crisis to bring out the best in people.  When there is a crisis, this can be the Christian's opportunity to show the love of the Lord by ministering outside the box.  

Recently, I heard a few stories of people who choose to minister outside the box even amidst the social distancing. 

One person told me of a child in line at the grocery store who was looking at a small toy near the checkout line.  The three-year-old was looking at this toy with great interest.  This person in line in front of the child turned and asked the mother if it would be okay for them to buy the toy for her child.  

The mom was shocked at the kind request and agreed to the act of kindness by the stranger.  As this person paid for the toy then handed it to the mother, the cashier became moved with emotion and said that was the kindest thing she had seen in the grocery store that week.

Another story I heard was from a person who watched the man in front of him in line at the store realize as his grocery order was totaled that he didn't have enough money to buy his baby diapers.  The man said to put the diapers back.  That's when the person behind him stepped up and asked if he could buy the diapers.  

Another person told me of a wrong number she dialed and the young mom of four who answered the phone identified that the caller had definitely dialed the wrong number.  But the person felt prompted to ask the young mom if she needed prayer and the young mom said that she did.  The caller was able to pray with her and told the young mom to call if she had a need since she now had the caller's phone number.

  

Was that call a mistake?  Was it a mistake to buy the child a toy?  Was it a mistake to buy the diapers for the father who didn't have money or were each of these a moment surrendered to the Lord? 

When the world is going a little bit crazy,  it's the Christian's chance to remember we can’t turn a blind eye to the suffering nor the injustice of others.  Whatever small acts of kindness we can find to do, let us do them as unto the Lords.

We are called to be in relationship with Jesus, but we are also called to be in relationships with others.  The book of Amos helps us to focus on both the physical and the spiritual needs of people. 

Amos 5:24 says, But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.

In the weeks to come, I challenge you to be God’s arms extended to others as we roll on like a river and a never-failing stream in our acts of kindness to those around us.